Chuck Morse

Charles W. Morse (born October 11, 1960) is an American politician who served as president of the New Hampshire Senate and was acting governor of New Hampshire in 2017. Morse represented New Hampshire's 22nd State Senate district from 2010 to 2022, having previously held the same office from 2002 to 2006.

In 2022, Morse was a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, placing second in the primary behind Donald Bolduc. He also ran for governor in 2024, but lost to former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte.

Biography Morse lives with his wife, Susan, and their daughter in Salem, New Hampshire. Morse received his bachelor's degree in business from Plymouth State University. He is the owner of Freshwater Farms, a landscaping business and garden center in southern New Hampshire.

Political career State legislature Morse served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1998 through 2002. He served in the New Hampshire Senate from 2002 through 2006 and led the Senate Finance Committee. He ran for the Executive Council of New Hampshire in 2006, but lost the election to state Senator Beverly Hollingworth. He returned to the New Hampshire Senate in 2010 Morse served on the Finance Committee and was responsible for crafting the state budget.

Morse was re-elected to his Senate seat in 2018, but the Republicans were in the minority by a margin of 14–10 in 2019–2020. The ten newly elected Republican members of the state senate chose Morse as their caucus leader shortly after the election. His successor as president was Democratic state senator Donna Soucy.

Morse was re-elected to his Senate seat in 2020 and the Republicans regained the majority by a margin of 14–10. The 14 newly elected Republican members of the state senate chose Morse as their candidate for senate president shortly after the election.

In 2017, Morse served as acting governor of New Hampshire for two days, from when Maggie Hassan resigned as governor in order to join the United States Senate on January 3, 2017,

Gubernatorial campaign

After Sununu announced that he would not run for reelection in 2024, Morse announced that he would run for the Republican nomination. He lost the Republican nomination to former US Senator Kelly Ayotte.

Political positions Economic As a state senator, Morse has opposed a broad-based state sales or income tax, has advanced legislation aimed at reducing property taxes, and has focused on eliminating other state taxes, particularly the interest and dividends tax, which the newest state budget will phase out.

Immigration As a candidate for U.S. Senate, Morse has highlighted border security as a priority if elected, suggesting current U.S. policy related to border security is responsible for the presence of drugs, including fentanyl, in the state.